Daily Archives: March 13, 2015
North Carolina Fisheries Association Weekly Update for March 13, 2015
Click here Weekly Update for March 13, 2015 21:45
Letters to the Editor – Managing bycatch, Earl Southworth
Bycatch from Seattle-based trawlers is killing Alaska’s fisheries and local fishing economy. In the early 1990s, my personal livelihood was negatively affected. Now, all Alaskan fishermen are starting to realize that they can keep fighting over the same, ever-shrinking slice of the pie, or they can band together and stand up to Seattle. Alaska fishermen seem to agree on something. In the past couple of weeks, the governor’s office has been hit by a flurry of resolutions and letters from Alaskans across all facets of Alaska’s fishing economy. Read the rest here 19:11
China’s appetite for N.E. lobster boosts industry
Somewhere in Shanghai, a Chinese family is delving into a Boston lobster — and paying as much as $100 for the sumptuous meal. With a booming economy, the burgeoning middle class in China has developed a taste for the rich meat of the North Atlantic crustacean, known in the Far East as Boston lobster, even though many of them are pulled from the cold waters off of Maine and shipped overseas from Tom Adams’s loading dock in York. Read the rest here 17:44
Coast Guard searching for overdue fishing boat near Majuro
HONOLULU – The Coast Guard is searching for an overdue 82-foot commercial fishing vessel near the Republic of Marshall Islands, Friday. reportedly went missing with nine people aboard while en route Majuro for offload, Thursday. Read the rest here 17:19
Alaska Department of Fish and Game budget on state’s chopping block
According to Juneau Resources Weekly, the ADF&G budget reductions cut across all divisions with sport fishing facing the most personnel losses at 12 seasonal jobs. The Division of Habitat could lose $400,000; commercial fishing programs are set to lose five positions and an additional $2 million in general fund support. Other fisheries related items include a 40 percent cut in the $7.5 million the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute receives in state funds, double what Governor Walker had proposed. Read the rest here 16:59
Who Fights for Fishermen?!! – Volunteer Advocate Jonathan Gonzales, Santa Barbara, California
If you’re a California Driftnet Fisherman, You don’t have many friends. Under constant attack by Big Green, and their paid eco hitmen, they have managed to find one! That friend, at one time wasn’t very friendly towards them. Until he invested his time to learn about the fishery, and the people in it. It’s not a very big fishery, but the Pew/Oceana people have branded it the dirtiest, most damaging fishery there is. Thankfully, Jonathan Gonzales is there with the truth. Click here to read his letter, and view his ENGO choking presentation at the last PFMC meeting. Thank you, Jon. 15:28
The Eco Cons – Con groups seek to rebuild New England cod fishery
After decades of short-sighted exploitation by commercial fishing outfits, Gulf of Maine cod are at the brink of “commercial extinction,” according to conservation advocates who this month petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service today to end targeted fishing of the species. “The giant cod catches of yesteryear are over — these poor fish have been exploited to commercial extinction,” said the Catherine Kilduff, with the Center for Biological Diversity. Read the rest here 13:13
Fresh Halibut Coming Soon! Commercial Pacific Halibut Fishery To Open March 14, 2015.
“Our fleet has staged to the grounds and will commence fishing operations when the season opens on March 14th at 12:00pm,” says Lyle Pierce, master of the fishing vessel Bold Pursuit and President of the Pacific Halibut Management Association of BC (PHMA), an organization representing commercial halibut fishermen on Canada’s Pacific coast.Each year, the commercial halibut fishery provides millions of meals to Canadians who enjoy commercially-caught halibut in restaurants or purchase it at retail outlets to consume at home. “That’s what commercial fishermen do,” notes Pierce, “we provide food for Canada and the world and jobs and incomes for British Columbians.” Read the rest here 12:43
Fish farm madness: Harper proposes lax regulations for fish-farm industry
In its proposed regulatory changes to the Fisheries Act, the Harper government is not only catering to the Norwegian-based multinational fish-farm industry in Canada, it is also collaborating with the U.S. government in little-known efforts to “harmonize” regulations across many sectors, including the aquaculture industry. The results could have devastating impacts on Canada’s ocean environment, wild fish, and our fishing industries. Read the rest here 09:41
Next round of Walker fishery appointments closely watched
Commercial fishermen who make their living in federal waters off Alaska are watching as Gov. Bill Walker prepares to announce a set of appointments to the board that manages the multibillion-dollar fishing industry in the North Pacific. One of the principal roles of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is overseeing the massive, Seattle-based factory fishing vessels that catch and process lower-value groundfish like pollock, mackerel and sole. Read the rest here 09:14
Casting a net for survival: Safety training again offered for fishermen
“More people die from slips and falls in port,” said Ted Williams of safety equipment supplier Hercules SLR Inc. in New Bedford. That’s a big change from a decade or so ago, when 27 men were lost in a one-month period, said Ed Dennehy, director of safety training at the Fishing Partnership. The safety training is getting lots of credit for turning around a bad situation.Thursday kicked off the 2015 season for the safety and survival training course that is offered free to commercial fishermen,,, photo Read the rest here 09:00
